I am a cultural historian focusing on the intersection of language and culture in the Near East. My research deals with topics such as nonverbal communication, ideology of sacred space, creation and transmission of religious narrative, and language change. I am also interested in Restoration scripture and the insight it gives into analogous revelations of sacred narrative in the ancient world.
Studies in the Syriac Magical Traditions, edited by Siam Bhayro and Marco Moriggi, 169–81. Magica... more Studies in the Syriac Magical Traditions, edited by Siam Bhayro and Marco Moriggi, 169–81. Magical and Religious Literature of Late Antiquity 9. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2021.
Studies in Biblical Philology and Lexicography, ed. Daniel King (Gorgias Press, Perspectives on Linguistics and Ancient Languages 11), 2019
This essay lays out a theoretical basis for the creation of a digital etymological lexicon of Syr... more This essay lays out a theoretical basis for the creation of a digital etymological lexicon of Syriac that is oriented to issues of cultural history. The proposed lexicon would enable researchers to systematically study semantic shifts, the interaction between templatic patterns and semantic domains, and the effect of language contact on specific geographical, semantic, generic, and chronological segments of the lexicon. This focus on cultural history justifies the inclusion of extensive etymologies, contrary to a recent trend in the lexicography of Egypto-Semitic languages, in which lexicons employ only pared-down etymologies or no etymologies at all. At the same time, the digital nature of the proposed lexicon renders extensive etymologies feasible. Keys to an optimal culture-focused digital etymological lexicon include (1) a clear division between the core entry, linear etymology , and comparative data; (2) interlinking of text citations to a digital text corpus; (3) interlinking of comparative data to other etymological lexicons, (4) referencing and critical use of secondary sources; and (5) extensive tagging, especially for semantic categories. I argue that Jessie Payne Smith's Compendi-ous Syriac Dictionary is the best starting-point for the proposed digital lexicon due to its alphabetical arrangement, its inclusion of idiomatic phrases, and its lack of preexistent etymologies and text citations.
In contrast to studies arguing that ancient Israelite sacrificial hand placement used only one ha... more In contrast to studies arguing that ancient Israelite sacrificial hand placement used only one hand, I argue that the gesture uniformly involved two hands, based on comparison with Second Temple Period sources, a textual analysis of the relevant passages in the Pentateuch, and Biblical Hebrew grammar. I also discuss the reasons why the Masoretic tradition of vocalization, Ibn Ezra, and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan fail to reflect this early understanding of the gesture. Finally, I examine biblical evidence for the function of the gesture in light of the renewed understanding of the gesture's form.
Studies in the Syriac Magical Traditions, edited by Siam Bhayro and Marco Moriggi, 169–81. Magica... more Studies in the Syriac Magical Traditions, edited by Siam Bhayro and Marco Moriggi, 169–81. Magical and Religious Literature of Late Antiquity 9. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2021.
Studies in Biblical Philology and Lexicography, ed. Daniel King (Gorgias Press, Perspectives on Linguistics and Ancient Languages 11), 2019
This essay lays out a theoretical basis for the creation of a digital etymological lexicon of Syr... more This essay lays out a theoretical basis for the creation of a digital etymological lexicon of Syriac that is oriented to issues of cultural history. The proposed lexicon would enable researchers to systematically study semantic shifts, the interaction between templatic patterns and semantic domains, and the effect of language contact on specific geographical, semantic, generic, and chronological segments of the lexicon. This focus on cultural history justifies the inclusion of extensive etymologies, contrary to a recent trend in the lexicography of Egypto-Semitic languages, in which lexicons employ only pared-down etymologies or no etymologies at all. At the same time, the digital nature of the proposed lexicon renders extensive etymologies feasible. Keys to an optimal culture-focused digital etymological lexicon include (1) a clear division between the core entry, linear etymology , and comparative data; (2) interlinking of text citations to a digital text corpus; (3) interlinking of comparative data to other etymological lexicons, (4) referencing and critical use of secondary sources; and (5) extensive tagging, especially for semantic categories. I argue that Jessie Payne Smith's Compendi-ous Syriac Dictionary is the best starting-point for the proposed digital lexicon due to its alphabetical arrangement, its inclusion of idiomatic phrases, and its lack of preexistent etymologies and text citations.
In contrast to studies arguing that ancient Israelite sacrificial hand placement used only one ha... more In contrast to studies arguing that ancient Israelite sacrificial hand placement used only one hand, I argue that the gesture uniformly involved two hands, based on comparison with Second Temple Period sources, a textual analysis of the relevant passages in the Pentateuch, and Biblical Hebrew grammar. I also discuss the reasons why the Masoretic tradition of vocalization, Ibn Ezra, and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan fail to reflect this early understanding of the gesture. Finally, I examine biblical evidence for the function of the gesture in light of the renewed understanding of the gesture's form.
In contrast to studies arguing that ancient Israelite sacrificial hand placement used only one ha... more In contrast to studies arguing that ancient Israelite sacrificial hand placement used only one hand, I argue that the gesture uniformly involved two hands, based on comparison with Second Temple Period sources, a textual analysis of the relevant passages in the Pentateuch, and Biblical Hebrew grammar. I also discuss the reasons why the Masoretic tradition of vocalization, Ibn Ezra, and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan fail to reflect this early understanding of the gesture. Finally, I examine biblical evidence for the function of the gesture in light of the renewed understanding of the gesture's form.
Often overlooked in scriptural text, hand and arm gestures are often used to convey meanings that... more Often overlooked in scriptural text, hand and arm gestures are often used to convey meanings that complement the verbal lessons being taught. This article discusses the meaning and significance of four specific gestures referred to in the Book of Mormon: stretching forth one’s hand(s), stretching forth the hand to exert divine power, extending the arm(s) in mercy, and clapping the hands to express joys. Beyond the fascinating meanings of these gestures in the Book of Mormon are the correlations that can be seen in the biblical text and in other Near Eastern cultures. Also insightful, specifically in reference to Moses’s hand movements at the Red Sea, is the way in which the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and other extracanonical writings build on each other to give a fuller interpretive picture. Title
This informative and very readable volume, targeted to a Latter‐day Saint audience, serves as an ... more This informative and very readable volume, targeted to a Latter‐day Saint audience, serves as an introduction to the Apocrypha and an exploration of Latter‐day Saint views of the books. Even those already familiar with the Apocrypha will find this book insightful in the Latter‐day Saint approaches it brings to bear. Even so, the book touches too lightly on some issues, including the extent of the Apocrypha, the phenomenon of pseudonymity, and the reasons for the current exclusion of the Apocrypha from the Latter‐day Saint canon. Review of Jared W. Ludlow, Exploring the Apocrypha from a Latter‐day Saint Perspective (Springville, Utah: CFI, 2018). 234 pp. $16.99. L Saints have a unique relationship to the books that comprise the Apocrypha, a body of religious texts that includes the books of Esdras, Judith, Tobit, Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, and additions to some of the canonical books of the Old Testament. These texts are regarded as scripture by Catholic and Orthod...
This essay lays out a theoretical basis for the creation of a digital etymological lexicon of Syr... more This essay lays out a theoretical basis for the creation of a digital etymological lexicon of Syriac that is oriented to issues of cultural history. The proposed lexicon would enable researchers to systematically study semantic shifts, the interaction between templatic patterns and semantic domains, and the effect of language contact on specific geographical, semantic, generic, and chronological segments of the lexicon. This focus on cultural history justifies the inclusion of extensive etymologies, contrary to a recent trend in the lexicography of Egypto-Semitic languages, in which lexicons employ only pared-down etymologies or no etymologies at all. At the same time, the digital nature of the proposed lexicon renders extensive etymologies feasible. Keys to an optimal culture-focused digital etymological lexicon include (1) a clear division between the core entry, linear etymology , and comparative data; (2) interlinking of text citations to a digital text corpus; (3) interlinking of comparative data to other etymological lexicons, (4) referencing and critical use of secondary sources; and (5) extensive tagging, especially for semantic categories. I argue that Jessie Payne Smith's Compendi-ous Syriac Dictionary is the best starting-point for the proposed digital lexicon due to its alphabetical arrangement, its inclusion of idiomatic phrases, and its lack of preexistent etymologies and text citations.
Digital Preservation has evolved from an early-stage field based heavily on research and the shar... more Digital Preservation has evolved from an early-stage field based heavily on research and the sharing of information to a nascent industry based on practical activity. In this transition there is a risk that the vital activity of sharing information and expertise declines in favor of the day-to-day practicalities of caring for content. This work explores how the Preservation Action Registries (PAR) Initiative can not only help to bridge the gap, but in doing so, create new opportunities that can help make automated digital preservation a practical reality even for non-expert users by describing a proof-of-principle demonstration of the automated application of Digital Preservation Policy, and subsequent changes to that policy.
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